State's beer, wine and distillery summit now includes cideries

Local beers are displayed during the second wine and beer summit held by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Karen Dewitt
/ WRVO

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo hosted his second beer, wine, spirits, and now cider summit, to showcase one of the state’s few growth industries.

The owners of breweries, distilleries, wineries, and for the first time, cideries, gathered at the Capitol to share ideas about growing the industry. They also heard a pep talk by Cuomo, who says a few thousand new jobs have been created.

“We also can be a major facilitator,” Cuomo said. “A lot of your business is about promotion."

Cuomo says his administration will try to do a better job of linking upstate producers of alcoholic beverages with the lucrative New York City market, and will promote more tourism links.

Meanwhile, some wineries are using the occasion to press the case against the controversial drilling process called hydrofracking, saying it’s incompatible with an industry selling fresh, natural products.

Cuomo is still studying whether to allow the natural gas drilling process in New York.

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